Communicating Mental Health Support to College Students During COVID-19: An Exploration of Website Messaging
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Communicating Mental Health Support to College Students During COVID‑19: An Exploration of Website Messaging Erica J. Seidel1 · Jan Mohlman2 · Corey H. Basch3 · Joseph Fera4 · Alison Cosgrove3 · Danna Ethan5
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract College counseling centers are assumed to play a vital role in addressing students’ mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to characterize the extent to which NYC metropolitan area school websites communicated to students their updated mental health service offerings, psychoeducational information related to COVID-19, and community-based resources after the abrupt end to on-campus services during the Spring semester. A total of 138 websites were analyzed. Overall, only half of the surveyed web pages provided information about remote counseling, and just under two thirds of schools (57.97%) had directions for students experiencing a mental health emergency. As predicted, enrollment size was associated with whether psychoeducation about mental health and COVID-19 and information about remote counseling were available on a school’s website. In both cases, medium-sized schools were the most likely to have these resources available on their websites as compared to small and large-sized schools. College counseling center web pages should include robust and current information that targets schools’ diverse student bodies. Keywords COVID-19 · College students · Mental health · Website messaging
Introduction College counseling centers play a vital role in student support services. This has become even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic; throughout the crisis, counseling centers have been on the front lines in addressing mental health issues that can derail students’ academic success. The heightened severity of mental health issues among college students is well documented as is their recently increased use of campus counseling centers [1–3]. Findings from the Penn State University’s Center for * Erica J. Seidel [email protected] Jan Mohlman [email protected] Corey H. Basch [email protected] Joseph Fera [email protected] Alison Cosgrove [email protected] Danna Ethan [email protected]
Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) 2019 annual report on mental health trends across U.S. colleges and universities show an increase in anxiety and depression over the last 8 years among students receiving mental health treatment [4]. Students surveyed in the American College Health Association’s spring 2019 National College Health Assessment reported significant levels of distress. Roughly two thirds of students reported feeling overwhelming anxiety within the last year and almost half reported they had been so depressed that it was difficult to function within the same time frame [5]. Between fall 2009 and spring 2015, 1
Department of Student Life/Counseling Center, City University of New York—Borough of Manhattan Community College, 199 Chambers Street, S‑343, N
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